


Brothers and Bedrooms

by horatiofrog



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Brothers, Found Family, Gen, The meaning of being brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 03:49:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15501672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/horatiofrog/pseuds/horatiofrog
Summary: Justin needs a bedroom.   Clay learns more about his soon-to-be brother than he bargained for.





	Brothers and Bedrooms

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Destiny Which Makes Us Brothers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782280) by [Bitterblue33](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitterblue33/pseuds/Bitterblue33). 



> Setting: A few days after 2x13, "Bye"
> 
> This story directly precedes "Foundations," the second vignette in Bitterblue33's series "A Destiny That Makes Us Brothers."
> 
> Warnings: strong language

“What’s with you?  You’ve been sulking all night.”  Clay Jensen flopped down on his bed, staring at the seventeen year-old that had been sleeping on his couch the last few weeks.  It was a comfortable couch, but the thought of _living_ on one put knots in the older boy’s back.

“I have not.”

“You’ve barely said, like, three fucking words.   Normally, you don’t shut up around Mom and Dad.  So what gives?”

Justin shrugged.  “Your mom ordered a bed for me.”

Clay threw his hands up in the air.  “Great!  Now you don’t have to live on my couch.”  He grew quiet at the morose look on Justin’s face.  “Unless…you _like_ the couch?”

A head of short hair shook.  “No, the couch is great.  Better than most places I’ve slept in a while.”

Images raced through Clay’s head.  The shelters he and Tony searched.  The thin mattresses, the rusted cots that ran wall-to-wall in a space smaller than a broom closet.  The squalid conditions of the squat they’d found their lead in.  The open-air corner where they’d found Justin, armed only with his gym bag and a paper cup full of change.  “Oh.”

Justin’s eyes widened.  “No, man, it’s not like that!  I mean…yeah, it’s better than _those_ places, but…”

“Still, it’s a bed.  You didn’t think they’d make you sleep on a couch forever, did you?”

The newest addition to the Jensen household suddenly took a keen interest in his shoes.  “Um, no, but…”  Bony hands flew up as shoulders shrugged.  “Your dad suggested maybe turning his…office, I guess?...into a room for me.”

Clay shook his head, bewildered.  “I’m confused.  You _don’t_ want a room?”

“Well…I kinda like it here, actually.”  Justin waved his hand around, indicating the bedroom the pair currently occupied.

“Yeah, it’s a great room.  Lots of charm.  Seen its share of craziness, heartbreak, and other fun things.”  Now Clay started staring at the floorboards. 

“I bet.”  Justin sighed.  “I’ve never really had a room before.”

Clay’s head shot up as he goggled at his current roommate.  “What?  Weren’t you, like, an only child?  How did you _not_ have a room?”

Justin shrugged again.  “My mom…we couldn’t really afford a big place, y’know?  Lots of times I camped out on the couch and she took the bedroom.  Couple times I had a room, but it was just a mattress on the floor, that kind of thing.”

“Wow.  That…that kinda sucks.  I’m sorry.” Clay fought the urge to go over and pat Justin on the shoulder.  He wasn’t used to feeling like this, all protective over someone else.  Well, except Hannah…but then, she’d been dead before Clay could really help her.

“The best part about _this_ room is…”

“…the fact that it has easy access to the outside?”

Justin smiled, a small smile.  “No, dipshit.  It has people in it.  I…I don’t really like being alone much.”

“Except, of course, when you’re…”

“Fuck you.”  The smile on Justin’s face grew exponentially.  “Besides, even then, you’re not really alone, are you?”

“Fuck you.”  Clay smiled.

“Besides, I wasn’t kidding.  You need some _serious_ help in the ladies’ department.  My offer still stands.”

A paperback sailed through the room, hitting Justin square in the chest.  “I do _not_ need help.”

“I beg to differ.  Now, would you rather die a virgin or get some help from a guru?”

Clay mock-glared at Justin.  “Just…shut the fuck up.”   Something struck him.  “Well, _I_ need to make sure you don’t do more stupid shit, like running off.  I mean, seriously, you’d give all this up?”

“You mean having a real, _normal_ family?” Justin looked wistful again.  “No.  But I warned you – I am still _seriously_ fucked up.”

Clay shrugged.  “Well, me too.  I guess we’ll have to figure out how not to be fucked up together.”

Justin laughed.  “I can honestly say, I _never_ thought, of all people, _you’d_ end up being my brother.  Like, my for-real brother.”  The mirth died on Justin’s face as quickly as it came up.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.” Justin’s eyes were staring at his shoes again.

“Bullshit.  I mean, I know they’re new, but your shoes are not _that_ interesting.”  Clay’s concern was evident on his face. 

“It’s just…”

“Dude.  Spill.  Or don’t.  Up to you.”

A small grimace crossed Justin’s face.  “Bryce.”

Clay’s eyes rolled.  “Oh, Jesus fuck, what _now_?  Don’t tell me you’re into him for money or something…”

“No!” The younger boy paused.  “Bryce…has this _thing_ , y’know?  His boys…he called us “brother.”  It’s stupid, I know, but now…now that I actually will _have_ a brother…a _real_ one…”  Justin’s breath hitched, and Clay made a supreme effort to not watch him cry.  “I realize just how wrong he is.  We were _never_ brothers.  Not like that.”

Clay was slightly taken aback.  He knew that was a lot for Justin to admit.  “I…I’m sorry?”

“Don’t be.” Justin wiped his face with his sleeve.  “The last few weeks have shown me a lot.”

“Okay then.  So don’t move into the office.”

“Are you sure?”

Clay nodded.  “Totally sure.  Besides, like I said, someone has to keep an eye on you.  Escape artist and all that.”

“Shut up, Jensen.”

The older boy smiled.  _This just might work out after all_ , he thought.


End file.
